YA author Pérez offers encouragement and insight into book challenges today, which are about much more than just a book. Offering tips for how to prepare for challenges and amplify student voices, the reader will also find ideas to help marginalized learners still find their way to targeted books.

As shown by MetLife's 2010 "Survey of the American Teacher," America's educators strongly believe that all students should graduate from high school ready for college and a career (85 percent). Additionally, according to MetLife's 2009 survey, 86 percent of teachers believe that setting high expectations for students will…

As we approach the second decade of the twenty-first century, school library media programs continue to undergo momentous changes that have heightened the importance of technology and evidence-based learning. The focus has moved from the library as a confined place to one with fluid boundaries that is layered by diverse needs and influenced by an…

There is a curriculum ready, willing, and able to remedy the US' significant information literacy deficiency. So why doesn't anyone know about information literacy standards? In a recent editorial column by Carol Simpson, she offers three suggestions: (1) library media specialists are not doing a good job spreading the word; (2) The standards are…

Presents several arguments in favor of the involvement of school librarians in the planning and implementation of school-based staff development. Five steps in program planning are also discussed: needs assessment, analysis of responses to formulate objectives, identification of resources, implementation, and evaluation. (7 references) (MES)

Describes the three roles of the school library media specialist delineated in new guidelines for school library media programs developed cooperatively by the American Association of School Librarians and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology: (1) information specialist; (2) teacher; and (3) instructional consultant. (MES)

Describes a variety of prereading strategies that can be used by teacher-librarians to encourage students to read and gives examples of uses with secondary school students. Strategies described include sort and predict, which uses word manipulation; key visuals; anticipation guide; and building from clues. (Contains 13 references.) (LRW)

This booklet is intended to help spread the word about the library and the librarian's role. It discusses the three interwoven roles of the school library media specialist--the role of information specialists (the "traditional" role); the role of library-media teachers in which they advance the goals of the school's literacy and general…

Looks at the issue of professional relationships between teachers and librarians and how those relationships affect curricular decisions. Suggests teachers and librarians see each other as team-teachers who support each other's programs. (MG)

Briefly discusses the evolution of duties of school media specialists and describes use of an attitudinal questionnaire to survey the school community to see how well media services are being received and whether improvements or adjustments are necessary. Items to be included in such a questionnaire are listed. (MBR)

Outlines steps school media specialists can follow to establish direction for library media program and offers methods of documentation and justification. Reasons for documentation, the implementation process (documentation of what is happening, what is needed, how needs will be met), and documentation product presentation are highlighted. Six…

Suggests that school librarians hold discussions with parent groups about current children's books in order to clarify for them why certain books are available to children and to encourage them to share their children's reading. (FL)

Includes seven articles that deal with public relations (PR) for school librarians. Highlights include image problems librarians face and suggestions for promoting more positive images; PR plans that focus on the past, present, and future; nontraditional ways that librarians can attract students and teachers; publicity techniques; and media center…

Effective library instruction and library services in rural or small schools often depend upon the personalities of and working relationships between library personnel and the school principal. Confrontations between rural- and small-school principals and library specialists generally fall into two categories of precipitating situation: censorship…

Describes ways that a library can be used as an integral part of a school reading program. (MKM)